Directory_and_Chronicle_1931 — Page 595

CHINA

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some weeks later did China finally break off diplomatic relations with Germany, a step which involved a lively dispute between the President and the Premier Tuan Chi-jui. The former was inclined to object to too precipitate action by the Cabinet and it was even said that he insisted upon his constitutional rights to declare war and make peace. Asthe result of the disagreement Tuan Chi-jui immediately left the capital for Tientsin and remained there for two days, during which the President evidently discovered that he had made a mistake and dispatched influential delegates to persuade the Premier to return. Having secured certain guarantees, Tuan did return, and a conference of conciliation took place when differences were settled, for the time at least. On March 10th the Cabinet appeared before both Houses of Parliament and, after prolonged discussion, each voted its support to the Government, and on March 14th diplomatic relations were definitely broken off, passports being handed at noon to the German Minister. Some bargaining between China and the Entente followed, the Chinese Government undertaking only the supply of primary material and assistance in respect of labour, though later there was a desire manifested, especially on the part of Tuan Chi-jui, to send troops to the Western front.

As the year advanced events moved very rapidly. The bitterness between Premier and Parliament became intensified. The former was accused of acting unconstitu- tionally in respect of the rupture with Germany and several members of his Cabinet resigned. Meanwhile Parliament had drafted a constitution which did not cominend itself to conservative opinion outside and, in particular, military opinion. Tuan Chi-jui endeavoured to carry on with a reduced cabinet but a crisis was precipitated when President Li Yuan-hung felt bold enough to dismiss the Premier, his assistant in this courageous course being Wu Ting-fang, who countersigned the mandate. Wang Shih- cheng was temporarily appointed Prime Minister.

At this stage the Northern Tuchuns took a hand in the political game, and their assembling in conference in Tientsin was rightly regarded as a threat to Parliament. President Li Yuan-hung found it impossible to induce a suitable man to undertake the responsibity of forming a Cabinet.

Now came a curious development. Chang Hsun, who had held a dominating posi- tion with his pigtailed warriors astride the Tsinpu Railway, was for some extraordinary combination of reasons invited to assume the unnatural rôle of mediator. He appeared willing enough to undertake this duty, but he declined to move till the President issued a mandate inviting him to come to Peking and act in the aforemen- tioned capacity. In due course he set out for the capital, accompanied by some five thousand of his hairy warriors, but breaking his journey at Tientsin he had a consulta- tion with the military leaders assembled at that port. Li Ching-shi, the newly appointed Premier, travelled with Chang Hsun to Peking. Prior to the arrival of the mediator the President had shown much vacillation, to one declaring that he would not dissolve Parliament, and to another hinting that he might have recourse to this drastic step in order to save the country. Peking, too, was in a state of consterna- tion over the arrival of Chang Hsun's warriors, whose barbaric reputation was kept in the liveliest recollection by the peace-loving citizens. For a time the President was torn between two opinions, and even his advisers did not afford him the consola- tion that he sought, for while Dr. Morrison, the British Adviser, pleaded with him for the maintenance of constitutionalism and the preservation of Parliament, Dr. Ariga, the Japanese Adviser, argued that as Parliament had been illegally constituted there was legal basis for the President to dissolve it, since it had not justified its existence. However, Chang Hsun forced a decision. He presented what was virtually an ultimatum to the President, embracing the retention of the President, the dissolution of Parliament, the establishment of a responsible Parliament, the dissolution of Provincial assemblies, etc. He declared that unless these demands were acceded to he would not be responsible for what would happen. Dr. Wu Ting - fang

and other constitutionalists endeavoured to resist the pressure being brought to bear upon the President, but without avail, and on June 13th, as demanded by Chang Hsun, the mandate was issued dissolving Parliament- a mandate, by the way, which Wu Ting-fang refused to counter-sign.

As was to be expected, the Southern Provinces were not slow in indicating their disapproval of the President's weak action, and denunciations came from Yunnan, Kwangtung, Kwangsi, and Szechuan. At one time it looked as if the Southern Provinces would initiate military action and the Northern Tuchuns prepared for resistance. For the next two > or three weeks matters were in a state of drift, but a dramatic climax was reached on July 1st, when the people of China were electrified to learn that in the early hours of that